Frontline US Aircraft Carrier Near China Prepares for Military Action
The USS George Washington, a United States aircraft carrier deployed in Japan, is preparing for an upcoming patrol in the western Pacific Ocean to counter naval threats posed by China.
Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email.
The George Washingtonreturned to its home port in Japan-Yokosuka naval base near the capital city of Tokyo-in November after undergoing maintenance in Virginia since 2017. The nuclear-powered warship was previously forward-deployed to Japan from 2008 to 2015.
While the George Washington has remained in Japan since its return, the U.S. deployed two aircraft carriers-USS Carl Vinson and USS Nimitz-to the western Pacific Ocean. The former was later sent to the Middle East, while the latter was tracked near the Indian Ocean.
The forthcoming patrol of the George Washington comes as the Chinese navy-the world's largest by hull count-continues operations near Japan and Taiwan, which are a U.S. ally and partner, by deploying its aircraft carrier and a task group led by an amphibious warship.
Both the U.S. Navy and the Japanese Defense Ministry announced that U.S. naval aviators assigned to the George Washington were scheduled to conduct field carrier landing practice (FCLP) on Iwo To-also known as Iwo Jima-from Monday through the end of this month.
During this required training for aircraft carrier flight operations, pilots perform repetitive "touch and go" landings at the airfield to simulate landing on an aircraft carrier, the U.S. Navy said.
"[FCLP] is an indispensable training program for pilots of carrier-based aircraft to land on the runway of a land-based airfield as if it were the deck of an aircraft carrier in order to obtain a landing qualification when the USS George Washington departed," Tokyo added.
The Japan-based U.S. aircraft carrier is equipped with various types of aircraft, including F-35C, F/A-18E and F/A-18F fighter jets. These aircraft are stationed on land at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan when not deployed aboard the George Washington.
Iwo To is a Japanese island located 750 miles south of Tokyo, where a bloody World War II battle took place from February 19 to March 26, 1945. Almost 7,000 U.S. Marines were killed on the island, while the defending Japanese forces saw more than 18,000 casualties.
The U.S. Navy has been conducting FCLP on Iwo To since 1989. While the island has no local population-allowing for both day and night flight operations-the Navy has said it is not a suitable permanent training site because of its remote location and lack of divert airfields.
In the event that FCLP cannot be conducted on the Pacific island, four sites on Japan's main island of Honshu have been designated as backup locations for the training: Misawa Air Base, Yokota Air Base, Naval Air Facility Atsugi and Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni.
The U.S. Navy said: "The Navy is aware of noise concerns of the Japanese people and strives to minimize the impact of its training on local citizens while balancing our obligation to maintain operational readiness for the defense of Japan and to meet our agreements under the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security."
The Japanese Defense Ministry said: "[FCLP] is of great significance for the defense of Japan and for strengthening the deterrence and response capabilities of the United States in the region."
It remains unclear when the George Washington will depart from Yokosuka naval base for its western Pacific patrol. As of Tuesday, it was still at its home port, according to a local government website that tracks visits by U.S. nuclear-powered naval vessels to Yokosuka.
Related Articles
US and Iran Clash Over Nuclear Red LinesPhotos Show US Coast Guard Ship Deployed to Contested Waters Near ChinaNew Boss Named for World's Biggest Construction ProjectChina's Next-Level AI Could Overtake US: New Report
2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hypebeast
7 minutes ago
- Hypebeast
WILDSIDE Yohji Yamamoto Repurposes Archival Fabric in Limited-Edition Patchwork Cushions
Yohji Yamamoto'sWILDSIDElabel pushes the Japanese designer's signature deconstructed, vintage design aesthetic into new territory with its latest limited-edition release, which uses its archival fabrics. However, instead of offering an apparel capsule, WILDSIDE is applying the repurposed materials to a range of one-of-one patchwork throw pillows. Each cushion features eight fabrics in a textured quilt of rectangular patches. Elegant textiles, including a woolen green and blue tartan and an ornate floral jacquard, are contrasted with military-inspired materials like camouflage sherpa and solid green fabrics with stenciled typography. WILDSIDE Yohji Yamamoto wordmarks are scattered throughout the design, following the stencil motif on the front and back sides. While Yohji Yamamoto has released various throw blankets before, often through his Y's for Living line, the newest release expands on recent craft-oriented forays into homeware from his label. In 2022, WILDSIDE unveiled another limited-edition design project with EYEFUNNY, releasing a charcoal-toned stool adorned with floral designs. Later, in 2023, the label collaborated with Miyoshi Rug to transform its red flower motif into a tufted area rug. Like previous design projects, the cushions are made in an extremely limited run, stenciled by hand from 01 to 20, and come with a unique serial number. The WILDSIDE Yohji Yamamoto Limited Edition Patchwork Cushion will be offered at 24,200 yen ($170 USD) exclusively at WILDSIDE's Harajuku boutique.
Los Angeles Times
27 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Spain cancels contract for anti-tank missiles built by Israeli subsidiary
MADRID — Spain has canceled a deal for anti-tank missile systems that were to be manufactured in Madrid by a subsidiary of an Israeli company, in a bid to move away from Israeli military technology, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday. The decision will affect the license for 168 SPIKE LR2 anti-tank missile systems with an estimated value of $325 million. The systems would have been developed in Spain by Pap Tecnos, a Madrid-based subsidiary of Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, according to local press. 'The goal is clear...a total disconnection from Israeli technology,' government spokesperson Pilar Alegría told reporters, adding the government is studying 'the effects of the cancellation.' Israel's Defense Ministry referred questions on the decision to Rafael, which told the Associated Press it wasn't aware of the cancellation. Pap Tecnos, located on the outskirts of Madrid, did not comment. Spain approved the deal on Oct. 3, 2023, four days before an insurgent assault led by Hamas on southern Israel that sparked a devastating war in Gaza. Authorities argued at the time that the systems used by the Spanish forces were obsolete and should be replaced for up-to-date versions like those used by allied armies. Spain's leftist government says it stopped exporting arms to Israel as of Oct. 2, 2023, but there where reports some shipments slipped through. United States late last year opened an investigation into whether NATO ally Spain denied port entry to at least three cargo vessels reportedly transporting U.S. weapons to Israel. Spain formally recognized a Palestinian state in May 2024 in a coordinated effort with Norway and Ireland. A month later, Spain became the first European country to ask the top United Nations court, the International Court of Justice, permission to join a case mounted by South Africa that accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza. Israel strongly denies the charge. Medrano writes for the Associated Press. AP journalist Natalie Melzer in Nahariya, Israel, contributed to this report.
Newsweek
37 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Video Shows US Ally Confronting China in Contested Waters
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Philippine coast guard has released footage of a confrontation with its Chinese counterpart within the Southeast Asian country's maritime zone. Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Foreign Ministry for comment via email. Why It Matters China claims the majority of the South China Sea as its territory, including areas that fall within the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan. A Hague-based arbitral tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines in 2016 and rejected China's claims. Beijing has called the decision illegitimate. The further expansion of Chinese maritime forces into the Philippine EEZ has been met with pushback under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The resulting dramatic clashes have raised the specter of the U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty, which could draw Washington into a conflict with the East Asian power. A Chinese coast guard ship seen from the Port of Guangzhou in China's southern Guangdong province on February 22. A Chinese coast guard ship seen from the Port of Guangzhou in China's southern Guangdong province on February 22. Pedro Pardo/AFP via Getty Images What To Know While much of the neighbors' dispute has centered on uninhabited reefs and sandbanks, since the start of the year China's coast guard has maintained a steady presence closer to Luzon, the major Philippine island that's home to the capital, Manila. On Saturday, the Philippine coast guard deployed the 144-foot BRP Cabra to challenge the much larger CCG 3105—a Chinese coast guard cutter operating about 86 miles from Luzon's Zambales province and well within the country's 230-mile-wide EEZ, a spokesperson for the Philippine coast guard wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday. Video shows the Philippine crew broadcasting radio warnings and ordering their Chinese counterpart to leave the EEZ, citing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which both countries are signatories. Later that day, the Cabra responded to a distress call from a fishing boat with engine trouble. The cutter towed the stricken vessel back to Zambales' Subic Port. In Singapore, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with his Japanese, Australian and Philippine counterparts over the weekend on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue defense summit. The meetings were held amid doubts following U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff broadsides and remarks questioning the utility of Washington's security commitments in the region. The officials voiced concern over China's growing assertiveness and stressed the importance of maintaining the status quo. What People Are Saying Jay Tarriela, a Philippine coast guard spokesperson, wrote on X: "The actions of BRP Cabra and its crew reflect the commitment of the [Philippine coast guard] to uphold the directive of the president, reinforcing the Philippines' rights in the West Philippine Sea." Lin Jian, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said during Tuesday's regular news conference: "The U.S., together with Japan, Australia, and the Philippines, brazenly spread the false accusation of 'China threat' at the Shangri-La Dialogue and sought to use the East China Sea issue and the South China Sea issue to sow discord and incite confrontation between regional countries. ... We will not flinch in defending China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests." What Happens Next China and the Philippines are firmly entrenched in their positions, and a diplomatic breakthrough appears unlikely anytime soon. Speaking with Newsweek at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Sunday, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro criticized China's actions, saying the country suffered from a "trust deficit." He said Manila was working toward building an "international coalition to increase deterrence."
